Combination foldable table and bench



Aug. 18, 1959 w. J. HAYNES 2,900,009

v COMBINATION FOLDABLE TABLE AND BENCH Filed March 1'7, 1958 INVENTOR.

/. Hay/fes United` States Patent 2,900,609v coMBnsArroN FoL'naBLE'TxLEf-AND BENCH William J. HaynesfBonnerl Springs, Kans. Application March 17, 1958, Serial No. 721,852

4 Claims. (Cl.f15543) This invention relates to improvements in articles ofv furniture or the like, and more particularly toa combina'- tion bench and table wherein the table is presented upon swinging of the back rest of the bench to a horizontal table-forming position.

One type of combination bench and't'able is disclosed in my co-pending application for ULS. vLetters Patent Serial No. 553,805, tiled on December 19, 1955', now abandoned', and it is the primary object of this invention to provide an improved combination foldable'table and bench following the basic Concepts of my abo've identified application, and of which the present application is a continua- Itis a further important objectof the instant invention to provide a combined composite bench and` table as described above, wherein certain of the components adapted' for supporting the backrest in a vtabl`e-ft`)rming position may be readily removed from* the unit to` thereby permit the back rest to be moved into proximal overlying relationship with the 'seat so' that, upon removal of the legs for supporting su'ch seat, therentireassembly may be placed in a relatively narrow container' for' shipping purposes.

Also an important object of-this invention isto provide a combination bench and table unit wherein a substantially L-shaped member Vis'v releasablyv connected: to'v the backrest of the unit aswell as pivotally coupled with the seat thereof so that, uponswingingmovement"of the back rest to 'a table-forming position, the normally substantially upright stretch of each ofthe members mo/vesfinto engagement with the upper face Vof the` seaty to thereby rmly support the back restv in a horizontal position spaced above the seat;

An additional important object of the present invention is to provide a combination bench andtable unit wherein the points at which the L-sh'aped members are connectedv to theba'ck rest may be varied transversely of the latter, so that the relative angularity of the back rest with respect to the seat may be changedV at will:

An additional important aim `of this` invention is to provide a' unit as referred to wherein the'spacedstructures releasably and pivotally connected to the back restV and the seat respectively for permitting the back resti to= be swung to aV table-forming position lspacedV above the seat and also, into a proximal overlying location withy respect to the seat so that the' entire unit may be readilyL packaged in al flat container, are spaced inwardly from' respective ends of the seatand the back rest a sufficient distance to permit persons to sit on those portions of the seat extending outwardly from respective structures without straddling or moving` around the structures-when: assuminga seated position.

Also an important aimv is the provision of a combination,` bench andtable unit which may be constructed of readily available materials and atla low unit cost, without in any manner sacrificing structural strength `or rigidness characteristics, and which may be easily foldedl into a collapsed condition for transportation purposes.

Patented Aug. 18, 1959 explained vmore fully as the following specification pro-- gresses, but' it can be seen that there are many advantages arising from the present structure. andthe use thereof presents ease of operation-and desirable features. When the occupant of the bench desires to convert the same for use as a table, the bench need not be `moved to continue to allow the occupant t'o face the sameway after the table 'is formed; YBy the same token, a pair of facing benches made to embody my invention may have a table quickly formed therebetween by merely swinging the backrests of the benches toward each other. No shifting of the benches jneed occur and the occupants thereof will be at opposite sides of a relatively large table formed by the swingable back rests of the combination bench and table units.

In the drawing:l

Figure l' is a front, 'elevationalview of a combination bench and table unitv made pursuant to my present invention and showing the back rest in its normal, substantially upright position;

Fig. 2 is a central, transverse, cross-sectional View of the present unit illustrating the back rest in the same position indicated vin Fig. l, with the table-forming location of the backrest being illustrated in dotted lines while another positionV ofthe back rest in its normal,V substantiallyupright position is also` indicated by dotted lines;

Fig. 3y is anend, elevational view of the combination bench and table unit showing the component Vparts in their normal locations when the unit is used as a bench only; and

Fig. 4 is an end, elevational view of the' unit illustrating the way in which the `back r'est maybe folded downwardly into` proximal, overlying relationship to the seat for transportation purposes, iti being noted that the legs normally supporting the seat have also been removed from the'latter. A

A- combinationfbench and table unit broadly designated by the numeral 10 is' illustrated in the drawing in its preferred form and'incl'ude's as Vbasic components, a normally horizontal seat 12 supported by` a pair 'of longitudinally spaced, transversely extending. support means 14, an elongated back rest 1I6- normally'disposed in a substantially upright position extending upwardly from lthe longitudinal edge 18l ofv seat 12,- vand structures generally numerated 20 swingably mounting back rest 16 on seat 12 for movement about common, fixed axes to a tableforming position as to be more fully hereinafter described.

More specifically, seat 10 consists of a plurality of longitudinal strips 22 securedy tovv L-shaped brackets 24 extending transversely of lseat 12 andV forming a part of respective support means 14. As shown in Fig. 3, strips 18 of seat 12 are secured to` corresponding brackets 24 by suitable fasteners 27 in the nature'of screws or the like. Each' of the support means 14falso includes a pair oflegs 26' in the nature of substantially V-shapedy rods having the bights thereof` resting upon a supporting surface for the entire unit. Transverse brackets 24 are of such nature as to facilitate the attachment of respective legs 26 thereto as by welding, in the manne-r illustrated best by Fig. 3.

Back rest 16 includes a plurality of elongated panels 28 maintained in proper paralleL. juxtaposed relationship by a pair of tranverse bars 30 disposed in longitudinal spaced relationship on the faces of panels 2S adjacent the upper surfaces of strips 22 presenting seat 12. Bars 30 are positioned in predetermined spaced relationship to respective ends of back rest 16 for reasons toA be specified more fully as the following specicationprogressesr Although only two bars 30 and thereby, associated structures 20, are illustrated in the present draw- 3 ing, it is conceivable that a single unit might Well include three or more bars 30 and associated structures 2%, as desired by the manufacturer.

In any event, there is one structure 20 for each of the bars 3@ and which consists essentially of a substantially 'l1-shaped bracket 32 for each structure 20 and each having a leg 34 secured to the upper face of a respective 'strip 22 by suitable fasteners 36 passing through legs 34 into strips 22 of seat 12. As clearly indicated in Fig. 3, brackets 32 are located in relatively close relationship to the longitudinal edge 38 of seat 12 and each has a normally upright leg 4t) serving to pivotally mount one end of corresponding links 42 and L-shaped members 44.

The ends of links 42 remote from brackets 32 are pivotally connected to ears 46 integral with and extending laterally away from respective bars 3i), while the ends of L-shaped members 44 away from brackets 32 are secured to bars 30 by bolt means 48. Pin means 5t? extending through ears 46 and their respective links 42 permit the back rest 16 to pivot with respect to links 42 and, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, the ends of links 42 and L-shaped members 44 proximal to brackets 32 are disposed on opposite faces of upright legs 40 of corresponding brackets 32 and are pivotally mounted on the latter by pivot bolts means 52 in a manner so that structures 20 and thereby back rest 16 pivot about a common axis parallel with panels 28 of back rest 16.

In order to permit the relative angularity of back rest 16 with respect to seat 12 to be varied at Will, a plurality of openings may be provided in bar 30 if desired, although it is contemplated that the fasteners 54 extending through bars 3i) for holding panels 28 of back rest 16 in proper dispostion may be used to secure the proximal ends of L-shaped members 44 to bars 30 in any one of a number of predetermined positions and as clearly indicated in Fig. l of the drawing.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that back rest 16 may be swung from the normal position shown in full lines in Figs. l to 3 inclusive, to the dotted line location illustrated in Fig. 2, thereby placing back rest 16 in a horizontal position suitable for use as a table. When back rest 16 is spaced above the normally forwardmost edge 38 of seat 12 and extends forwardly therefrom, the normally substantially upright leading edge portions or stretches 56 of L-shaped members 44 move into engagement with the upper face of seat 12 to thereby support back rest 16 in its horizontal position. It can be seen that with stretches 56 of L-shaped members 44 resting firmly on the upper surface of seat 12, the parallelogram arrangement presented by links 42, bars 30 and normally horizontal stretches 58 of L-shaped members 44, provides firm support for back rest 16 and serves to maintain the same in a proper horizontal position, with relative movement of back rest 16 with respect to seat 12 being substantially prevented, while stretches 56 rest rmly on the upper face of seat 12.

A further important feature of bench and table unit 10 is the disposition of brackets 32 on seat 12 in positions adjacent longitudinal edge 38 of the forward strip 22 so that, upon swinging movement of back rest 16 to its horizontal position, the longitudinal edge of back rest 16 normally in engagement with seat 12 is spaced forwardly of longitudinal edge 18 of the rear strip 22 a suicient distance to permit a person to sit on seat 12 facing back rest 16, and the latter is sutliciently forward on seat 12 to present a table top in a readily accessible position. However, the point of pivotal connection of L-shaped members 44 and links 42 to brackets 32 is sufficiently remote from longitudinal edge 38 of seat 12 to prevent tipping over of bench and table unit 10 during the time that back rest 16 is located in a horizontal position to present a table top.

It is also to be pointed out that bars 30 and respective structures 20 are located inwardly from corresponding ends of seat 12 and back rest 16 a sucient distance to permit persons to sit on those portions of the seat extending outwardly from respective structures 20 and bars 30 Without straddling or moving around structures 20 when assuming a seated position.

By changing the points of interconnection of members 44 to bars 30 transversely of the latter, it can be seen that the relative angularity of back rest 16 with respect to seat 12 when the former is located in its normal, substantially upright position, as illustrated in Fig. 2, may be varied to suit the desires of dierent individuals. Although suitable openings may be provided in bar 30 to receive bolt means 48, it can be seen that in most instances, the desired result may be obtained by eliminating bolt means 48 and using fasteners 54 holding panels 28 of back rest 16 to bars 30 to secure members 44 to respective bars 30 in the desired location.

For transportation purposes, bench and table unit 10 'may be quickly and easily collapsed into a at package Yby merely removing fasteners 27 securing support means 14 to the underside of seat 12 and then disconnecting L-shaped members 44 from back rest 16 and brackets 32. It can be perceived that members 44 may be easily removed fromV unit 10 by merely unscrewing fasteners 54 from bars 30 and back rest 16 and removing the opposite ends of members 44 from pivot bolt means 52. Upon disconnection of members 44 from unit 10, back rest 16 may be swung downwardly about the points of pivotal interconnection of links 42 with ears 46 on bars 30 into proximal overlying relationship to seat 12, as clearly shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing. Because of the pivotal interconnection of links 42 with brackets 32, back rest 16 is maintained in substantially aligned overlying relationship to seat 12 when backl rest 16 is in its folded position and therefore, shipping of the folded unit is facilitated. It can be appreciated that after removal of L-shaped members 44, the latter may be packed for shipping purposes by merely inserting the same into the space between adjacent surfaces of back rest 16 and seat 12. By the same token, support means 14 may be placed in at relationship to seat 12 and back rest 16, permitting the entire unit to be packaged in a relatively fiat container.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new-and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A combination bench and table unit comprising an elongated seat provided with support means; an elongated back rest normally disposed in a substantially upright position extending upwardly from one longitudinal edge of said seat; a pair of spaced, parallel links, each pivotally secured to the back rest adjacent the normally lower longitudinal edge thereof and pivotally connected to the seat in transversely spaced relationship to the back rest for swinging movement about a common axis parallel with said back rest; and structure interconnecting a corresponding link and said back rest, each of said structures being releasably secured to the back rest, releasably and pivotally connected to the seat for swinging movement relative thereto about said common axis and provided with normally substantially upright forward edges remote from said back rest and adapted to be moved into engagement with the seat for supporting the back rest When the latter is swung about said axis to a horizontal, table position spaced above the seat, said back rest being pivotal into proximal overlying relationship to the seat upon disengagement and removal of said structures from the links and said back rest.

2. A combination bench and table unit comprising an elongated seat provided with support means; an elongated back rest normally disposed in a substantially upright position extending upwardly from one longitudinal edge of said seat; a pair of spaced, parallel links, each pivotally secured to the back rest adjacent the normally lower longitudinal edge thereof and pivotally connected to the seat in transversely spaced relationship to the back rest for swinging movement about a common axis parallel with said back rest; and a substantially L-shaped member interconnecting a corresponding link and said back rest, each of said members being releasably secured to the back rest, releasably and pivotally connected to the seat at the point of pivotal interconnection of the link with the seat for swinging movement with the link about said common axis and provided with normally substantially upright portions adapted to be moved into engagement with the seat for supporting the back rest when the latter is swung about said axis to a horizontal, table position spaced above the seat, said back rest being pivotal into proximal overlying relationship upon disengagement and removal of the members from respective links and said back rest.

3. A combination bench and table unit as set forth in claim 2 wherein the point of releasable connection of each of the members to the back rest is variable transversely of the latter whereby the relative angularity of the back rest with respect to the seat may be varied.

4. A combination bench and table unit as set forth in claim 2 wherein each o the links and corresponding members are spaced inwardly from respective ends of the seat and said back rest to permit persons to sit on those portions of the seat extending outwardly from respective links and members without straddling or moving around the members when assuming a seated position.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 10,908 Bass May 16, 1854 2,557,595 Bujjoni June 19, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 73,122 Norway Feb. 16, 1948 664,661 Great Britain Ian. 9, 1952 

